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Old 01-07-2011, 08:09 AM
cdock cdock is offline
 
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Default What gauge of shotgun should I get?

Hello everyone.

I am interested in doing some bird hunting next season. I mainly interested in ducks but would probably like to get a goose or two as well. I'm not so concerned about the make of the gun at the moment as I am trying to decide what gauge. I was thinking 16 gauge. Would this be a good fit or should I go to a 12 gauge? A second question as I type, what size shot for ducks and what size for geese? Any input would be greatly appreciated.
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Old 01-07-2011, 08:11 AM
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Originally Posted by cdock View Post
Hello everyone.

I am interested in doing some bird hunting next season. I mainly interested in ducks but would probably like to get a goose or two as well. I'm not so concerned about the make of the gun at the moment as I am trying to decide what gauge. I was thinking 16 gauge. Would this be a good fit or should I go to a 12 gauge? A second question as I type, what size shot for ducks and what size for geese? Any input would be greatly appreciated.
A 12 will give you the most options.
That being said, the only 12's i shoot are BP guns because I shoot small gauges - not always by choice....
Cat
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Old 01-07-2011, 08:24 AM
timsesink timsesink is offline
 
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12g is by far the best if you're just getting into shotgunning. The ammo is cheaper and far more plentifull. Once you're at it for a bit you can start specializing with a 16, 20 or even a .410
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Old 01-07-2011, 08:59 AM
densa44 densa44 is offline
 
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Smile 12 ga. for sure!

With the 12 ga., there are lots of places you can buy a variety of cheap ammo.

Learn how to shoot first, you've got enough time between now and opening day to get pretty good. I still shoot a full for everything but some of the younger fellows with more experience with steel I think use a mod or imp barrel (choke).

For geese #4 lead did a fine job but with steel, I'd go with the biggest you can get. For ducks it used to be #5 lead so #2 steel works O.K.

If you have a dog, start training ASAP, you will always get more ducks than you shoot. The dog will find other hunter's cripples. Some days it is embarrassing, my Pudelpointer sometimes got more birds than I did. She got herself a limit of pheasants at Millicent mid season. Luck there was a group of us.

This is paradise for a bird hunter, welcome to the club!
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Old 01-07-2011, 09:03 AM
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There will be guys who will tell you they hunt waterfowl successfully with smaller than a 12, and it's true. And a 20 is nice to carry for upland (lighter). 16 is a BIT of a dying breed. But really, if you only have ONE shotgun a 12 is the best choice. Most ammo choices and availability, powerful enough for anything, recoil depends on your ammo choice.

NIce to get one that handles 2 3/4" to 3 1/2" shells, but if the one you like only goes up to 3" that really isn't any problem. 3" is fine for geese, etc. (heck, 2 3/4" was fine for geese for decades)
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Old 01-07-2011, 11:14 AM
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12ga. Browning BPS is the way to go!
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Old 01-07-2011, 11:24 AM
nick0danger nick0danger is offline
 
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16 gauge ammo is tougher to find and is more money, get a 12 gauge
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Old 01-07-2011, 01:18 PM
airbornedeerhunter airbornedeerhunter is offline
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12 Guage is the best option, good for everything, grouse, ducks, geese. Get something with interchangeable chokes so you can swap em out depending on what you are hunting and in what type of brush!
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Old 01-07-2011, 01:25 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by densa44 View Post
. I still shoot a full for everything but some of the younger fellows with more experience with steel I think use a mod or imp barrel (choke).
The full choke should be retired when shooting steel. It can lead to dangerous pressures in the barrel and the patterns are crappy also.
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Old 01-07-2011, 01:33 PM
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12ga. Browning BPS is the way to go!
That or a Remington 870 12 ga. Good starter pump guns that have legendary reliability and won't break the bank. If money is no object get a Beretta or Benelli semi-auto.
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Old 01-07-2011, 01:35 PM
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There's something to be said for the feeling of carrying 16. and they get the job done too...

12 is your every man's shotgun though..so shells and models are easy enough to find
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Old 01-07-2011, 01:48 PM
u_cant_rope_the_wind u_cant_rope_the_wind is offline
 
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buy one of each gauge, that shoild solve yer delema
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Old 01-07-2011, 04:23 PM
sinawalli sinawalli is offline
 
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My Dad used to use a 8 guage mounted on a tripod to blast slag off the sides of the furnaces used to melt copper into anodes!!
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  #14  
Old 01-07-2011, 05:43 PM
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Default 12 Guage and less cripples

Go for the 12 all the way if you hunt primarily migratory birds
Having hunted with a 20g for over 15 years i found that success on geese or ducks went way up when i bought my 12g 3 1/2"
I know I wounded a number of geese with the 20 and felt bad for the bird as it flew away in obvious pain. Who knows what happens to those birds.
I find the 3 1/2 autoloader way more effective at bringing down the bird on first or second shots and ducks with #2 are hard hit but not destroyed.
Only downside to 12's are game birds... staying with the 20 on them... way easier to carry around and very effective not to mention less damage to the edible meat
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Old 01-07-2011, 07:41 PM
eastcoast eastcoast is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kalmbach View Post
Go for the 12 all the way if you hunt primarily migratory birds
Having hunted with a 20g for over 15 years i found that success on geese or ducks went way up when i bought my 12g 3 1/2"
I know I wounded a number of geese with the 20 and felt bad for the bird as it flew away in obvious pain. Who knows what happens to those birds.
I find the 3 1/2 autoloader way more effective at bringing down the bird on first or second shots and ducks with #2 are hard hit but not destroyed.
Only downside to 12's are game birds... staying with the 20 on them... way easier to carry around and very effective not to mention less damage to the edible meat
yeah the 12 gauge is the best all round shotgun for sure,half of all shotguns are 12 gauges they have many advantages like ammo selection,availability all manufacturers make one etc,but I have also found that a 12 is too much for certain things like upland birds and rabbit's,if I were the guy deciding I would start with a 12 gauge and somewhere down the road when you get more money get a .410 or 20 gauge also.
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Old 01-07-2011, 07:48 PM
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12 gauge all the way, all the good points have already been stated. If your going to have one shotgun make it a 12 gauge
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  #17  
Old 01-07-2011, 08:31 PM
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Default Don't overlook the 20g

A well placed shot is a well placed shot, the only thing that changes in regard to gauge and length is the amount of shot and velocity.

The 12g is the the most versatile in regard to doing everything, and its pretty cheap to operate especially if you watch for sales. However it depends on what you want to hunt, a great goose gun is not a great duck gun (not that the duck cares too much), and a great goose gun is not usually the best upland shotgun. I think the 20g is the way to go for a upland/duck hunter, but for a hardcore waterfowler the 12 is the best.

A 12g can go right down to the 2 3/4" 8 shot low brass loads, or 3" BB hi velocity, or 3" mags, and the ever hard hitting 3 1/2". And a 20 doesn't have that same variety, however they offer for plenty of power for smaller quarry, and without much damage.

I feel that you can't go wrong with either, because eventually you will end up with both or a variant like a 410, 28, or 16.
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Old 01-07-2011, 08:46 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cowtown guy View Post
The full choke should be retired when shooting steel. It can lead to dangerous pressures in the barrel and the patterns are crappy also.
The trick is to get a full choke designated for steel!

They are available through many of the manufacturers.
Someone mentioned 20 gauges , and although I use 20's and even 28's for waterfowl at times, the 12 is by far the best choice for most shooters, IMO.
Cat
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Old 01-07-2011, 09:18 PM
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I agree with that Cat. It didn't sound to me like the OP was aware of such things and is simply sticking with "Ol Betsy".
I hope you are right that he is going with a new version. I know of a couple of issues that were caused by full chokes in the first few years of steel shooting.
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Old 01-07-2011, 09:24 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cowtown guy View Post
I agree with that Cat. It didn't sound to me like the OP was aware of such things and is simply sticking with "Ol Betsy".
I hope you are right that he is going with a new version. I know of a couple of issues that were caused by full chokes in the first few years of steel shooting.
Yup, I've also seen a Polychoke come off the end of a gun because he had it too tight!
Another thing with many older guns that some are not aware of , but many of the older guns do not do well with steel even with open chokes, because the steel the barrels are made of is not tough enough!
Many older guns have not blown up, but have scored barrels from steel shot.
That is why I have to use Nice Shot in my 12 bore Damascus guns .
An 870 express in 12 is a pretty hard to beat rig for a utility gun IMO....
Cat
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Old 01-10-2011, 10:43 AM
cdock cdock is offline
 
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Thanks for the all the great input everyone!

You've convinced me to start out with a 12 gauge. Now the next obvious question, what make and model? I know in the end it will come down to personal preference but I want a reliable gun that will last a long time so I can at least focus on reliability first and then the preference last. That's how I buy all things, narrow down the ones that are reliable and then let my preference decide my final choice. Anyway, here is my short list highest price to lowest at the moment. Any others I should consider? Any I should immediately cross off?

Benelli Super Nova $$$$$
Browning BPS Camo $$$
Mossberg 835 Combo $

I'm a little uncertain of the Mossberg on price alone but that doesn't always hold true.

Last edited by cdock; 01-10-2011 at 11:08 AM.
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Old 01-10-2011, 10:49 AM
nick0danger nick0danger is offline
 
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The benneli nova, is a solid pump and a bit cheaper than the super nova that said. They are all solid shotguns and perform, i have never had a pump jam. That said when i first got my 870 express a few shells got tight in the chamber And need some extra for force to eject the shell
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Old 01-10-2011, 11:07 AM
Pudelpointer Pudelpointer is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cdock View Post
Benelli Super Nova $$$$$
Browning BPS Camo $$$
Mossberg 835 Combo $
Personally I would buy the BPS in a 3" version. Nice thing with the BPS is the empty shells all end up at your feet, making them real easy to find and pick up. Side eject guns scatter them all over, usually outside of you blind or boat.
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Old 01-10-2011, 11:15 AM
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there is a benelli super nova in the buy and sell adds for 600.00 .cant go wrong with that price
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Old 01-10-2011, 11:23 AM
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So looks like you are looking at a pump to start. Good choice. Cheap and less to break down or go wrong. The Remington 870 is the biggest selling shotgun in history. It's inexpensive, rugged, works. Also used extensively by police and military so you know it holds up.

That said any pump shotgun from the mainline gun makers will be fine. You won't go wrong with a Mossberg or Winchester or Browning or Benelli, etc.. I'd be more concerned with brand if I was getting a semi-auto, but a pump... get what you like and what is available.

3 1/2" shell capability is nice but not required. Screw in chokes pretty much standard in new guns. Don't bother with an old gun that doesn't have it. pump shotguns are just too inexpensive new to have to settle for old ones that don't have today's standard features.
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  #26  
Old 01-10-2011, 11:38 AM
SonnyJ SonnyJ is offline
 
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Last fall I bought a Remington 870 express super magnum with a black synthetic stock for $449.00

I love that shotgun,I can shoot everything from light 2 3/4 inch field loads up to the heavy 3 1/2 inch steel loads.
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  #27  
Old 01-12-2011, 01:22 PM
westren westren is offline
 
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All of the above are fine,but don,t cross off the Rem. 870,and if you are just starting ,and intend to hunt some geese ,consider getting the up to 3 1/2",even if you don,t use it much ,you have it for when.....SonnyJ above sounds just right
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Old 01-12-2011, 09:43 PM
Fennwick Fennwick is offline
 
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Great thread cdock, and I don't mean to thread jack but, I to am in the market for a shotgun and it will be my first one as well.
I've done some asking around at the local gun shops and they are really pushing the importance of the semi auto. I didn't get the feeling they are pushing for a higher sale, but they are saying there is less recoil and any follow up shots are quick easy.
I was ready to get the super nova last week but got talked out of it by the salesman. As I mentioned he was really pushing the semi auto and I ended up looking at the Winchester X3. I didn't get it....yet.
This being said I am still undecided and I am wondering if you have given any thought to barrel length. I intend to start with upland bird and move to duck and I though a 26" was a good all around length.
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  #29  
Old 01-12-2011, 10:08 PM
gophanator gophanator is offline
 
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my grandpa my dad and i all have the 870's and we all love em. my grandpa has had his for well over 50 years and has not had one problem with it yet and it is so smooth just the kick of the shot opens the chamber a bit. ive had mine for 5 years with no problems and my dad has had his for 3 and also no problems. deff a very reliable gun.
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Old 01-13-2011, 07:14 PM
ganderblaster ganderblaster is offline
 
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The biggest thing is to find a gun that fits you right brand doesn't matter so much as they are all decent with the exception of the 870,unless you are ok with an old one as the quality of Remington shotguns has gown done immensely in recent years.I would go with a Stoeger as it is made by the Berretta,Benelli family and its the same gun as the nova without paying for the benelli name. Good luck!

Last edited by ganderblaster; 01-13-2011 at 07:14 PM. Reason: sp
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